It was a close run thing for would-be vet Nick Jackson who got two As yesterday but missed a third by five marks. On paper, that meant a second failure to get on to a sought-after course at Nottingham university for the Leeds 18-year-old, who did retakes at Allerton High comprehensive after getting three Bs last year.

But Nick will now pack his bags for Nottingham in six weeks' time, thanks to a way of choosing between high-scoring applicants which has been condemned as favouring self-confident, coached independent school pupils.

"I had to go down there for an interview - and I'm glad I had the chance," he said. "On a course like mine you really need the chance to sell yourself and to prove your enthusiasm for the subject. It was a very worthwhile process to be able to go to the university and do just that. You can get the grades but that's just a piece of paper.

Allerton High has spent most of this year as a partial building site, with new £25m buildings rising alongside the original, careworn 1930s blocks. Deputy head Heather Scott said the school had hit its target of getting the "best overall result" - pupils doing their best at different levels in the mixed ability intake. Over 27% scored As or Bs. The star performer was Katarina Hovden, 17, who arrived at the school from Norway six years ago with only three or four words of English. She is one of five students who either have Oxbridge places or will apply for them. "She's got five straight As," said David Simmonds, Katarina's class tutor who retired this summer after 40 years in teaching. "She's an immensely talented and gifted young lady, hard working, everything a student should be - a pleasure to teach."

But Katarina still has to prove herself against the increasing ranks of all-A students, when she comes back from a gap year and bids for Cambridge. Simmonds said: "We can't take it for granted, even in Katarina's case. But she's shown all the character and determination which I think they'll be looking for, and she'll get the chance to show that when she goes down there for interview."